ReportWire

Tag: CES

  • What We’re Expecting at CES 2026

    [ad_1]

    CES 2026 doesn’t officially start until Jan. 6, but if you’re a regular Gizmodo reader, you already know that it has unofficially started. Like every year, companies start dripping out teasers and partial product announcements at the end of December, weeks before the biggest tech show even opens its doors in Las Vegas. Be sure to follow our CES 2026 live blog to see all the stuff our consumer tech team will be taking a look at in person.

    I have a strong feeling CES 2026 will be a lot more packed than everyone is anticipating. Six years after the pandemic, it seems to me—based on early announcements—that the show is finally roaring back to life. Revitalized by the promise of AI—whether automation, generative, agentic, or some other kind—companies are daring to shoot for the moon again. So what major trends are we expecting from the year’s biggest show for technology innovation? I may ultimately be wrong, but let me peer into my crystal ball and see if I can connect some dots.

    AI will be inescapable

    More than any CES show in past years, we’ll see AI shoved into every gadget imaginable. Samsung, LG, Lenovo, Razer—all of the biggest attendees and even the small unknown startups will be boasting about why some form of AI will supposedly make their products better. Some of the AI applications could legitimately move the needle; the vast majority will be AI features for AI features’ sake, overpromising and underdelivering.

    As reporters, we’re gonna spend our days at CES 2026 wading through the AI minefield of intelligence sprinkled into laptops, mobile devices, home appliances, transportation, and more. The same way Wi-Fi was added to virtually every gadget, AI will wiggle its way in even if you don’t want it.

    Do you really need AI in a washing machine or refrigerator? How many times is a big electronics company going to try to convince us at a packed press conference that we need some new home appliance to figure out how to cook a meal from leftover ingredients? The most useful AI functions will be the ones that don’t even appear to be AI, LLMs, or chatbots working invisibly in the background to make our lives more convenient.

    A sea of smart glasses

    © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

    If reviewing a bunch of smart glasses, including Meta’s Ray-Ban Display, last year signaled anything for what to expect in 2026, it’s that there will be an avalanche of smart glasses coming.

    As a possible Next Big Thing after smartphones, every company seems to be trying to figure out how to commercialize smart glasses. How do you balance style and utility while making it worth the pricey early adopter cost and also squeeze in AI into them to keep up with the latest trend? Meta might have you thinking it’s figured out some magic recipe, but in reality it hasn’t. A single pair of smart glasses with solid screens, cameras, battery life, speakers, AI, and apps is still the holy grail device everyone is chasing.

    Currently, smart glasses still have too many tradeoffs. It’s also not clear that consumers even want smart glasses that do it all. That’s why we’ve seen so many flavors of smart glasses—ones with mono and dual-lens waveguide screens, ones with no cameras (for privacy, naturally) at all, or simple “AI glasses” that excel best at taking photos and videos and playing music like a pair of open-ear headphones. Then, there are video glasses from the likes of Xreal that are bolting on XR functions to allow them to offer more computing-like features that you’d find in bulkier XR or VR headsets.

    I don’t expect any smart glasses blueprint to emerge by the end of CES 2026, only that the variety of designs and offerings will widen beyond what we’ve already seen shipped. There will be far more smart glasses than XR and VR headsets. The metaverse is dead; AI is now the new hotness.

    TV tech matters again

    New High Definition (hd) Televisions At Ces
    © Bob Riha Jr / Contributor / Getty Images

    Okay, maybe consumers won’t care at all what micro RGB or WOLED means, but TV makers will be pushing hard to make their latest display technologies seem like must-haves when they eventually ship in actual flat screens.

    Never mind that you may not understand how backlighting technologies work or that your worsening eyesight can’t see the wider dynamic range, expanded HDR, higher contrast, or increased brightness. CES 2026 will tout TV tech like it has for more than 50 years. The show simply wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t fly in to ogle pixels.

    I’ll be paying close attention to how much AI is forced into new TVs and how companies choose to integrate AI in there. Google’s Gemini will no doubt replace the old Google Assistant, but I really want to see how much AI slop there will be. My guess is that there will be an uncomfortable amount of AI slop masquerading as utility. More AI screensavers—sorry, canvas art. More AI to create fake frames to make watching sports and gaming smoother, but visibly uglier when watching movies and TV shows because of the motion smoothening.

    Speaking of higher frame rates, I have to wonder how high TV makers will go with the refresh rates? 120Hz, 165Hz, and 240Hz already push the envelope for gaming, but don’t be surprised if there are a bunch of TVs with even higher native (and artificially boosted) refresh rates just to outgun the competition on a spec sheet battle.

    EVs and mobility take over

    Ces 2025 In Las Vegas
    © NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty Images

    Everyone knows that CES is not a car show, but it’s also impossible to ignore the entire hall of EVs, automotive, and mobility tech at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Like a slow burn, there will be more of all of it. More EVs with absurd top speeds, longer ranges, and displays plastered inside their interiors; more e-bikes and e-scooters that blur the line with motorcycles; and more wacky prototype flying cars and personal quadcopters that will promise to hit the skies (but probably never will).

    Zooming in more specifically, my observation is that there will be a trend of returning back to physical and tactile in-car controls. A decade ago, Tesla made touchscreen dashboards and controls ubiquitous, but carmakers and consumers are now realizing that good ol’ buttons never needed to be—and perhaps never should have been—ditched.

    Personally, I welcome this return to sensibility. Besides giving cars more differentiation and character, physical buttons, dials, and knobs are actually more user-friendly while driving. Who could have imagined that turning a dial to adjust volume or the air conditioner is faster than tapping several layers into a touchscreen layer?

    And of course, like every other connected device at CES 2026, I’m sure we’ll see AI crammed into the dashboard as well as more promises for self-driving tech.

    Here come the home droids

    AgiBot humanoid robot patrols at the waiting hall of Jinhua railway station on the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush on January 14, 2025 in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province of China.
    © Photo by Shi Bufa/VCG via Getty Images

    It’s not that the smart home won’t have a huge presence at the show—it will—but it’s currently being retrofitted with AI, so it won’t sound groundbreaking. Google Assistant is being replaced by Gemini and Alexa with Alexa+. These “upgrades” are mostly on the backend, but as we’ve seen testing the early batch of products powered by these more intelligent voice assistants, the intelligence part is not quite there yet. When you need consumers to use two separate modes—one for smart home controls and another for more conversational AI—as you do with Gemini, it’s a sobering reminder that the retrofitting is still very much a work in progress.

    What should be a lot more interesting on the smart home front is seeing intelligence merge with robotics within the home. I’m, of course, talking about humanoid robots that can lift things and do chores, and even beefed-up robot vacuums that can climb stairs. At CES 2026, we should be able to get a closer look at some of these personal robots. They won’t be commercially available at any affordable pricing anytime soon, but at the very least they should give us an idea of whether we’re really closer to the sci-fi dream of having a real-life C-3PO to do our bidding.

    More of the usual consumer tech

    Lenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 6 Rollable Review
    © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

    Those are the bigger trends I expect to see at CES 2026. On a pure hardware level, the show will be filled with the usual new laptops and PCs, home entertainment systems (TVs and speakers), wearables, audio (wireless headphones and wireless earbuds), cameras, transportation (EVs, e-bikes, e-scooters), and mobile accessories and computer peripherals. A heaven of gadgets, if you will.

    By the end of the show, the Gizmodo consumer tech team will be exhausted and hungry, but we’ll have taken in the whole spectacle of it all. CES is the best place to preview the future. Or rather, ideas of what the future looks like.

    [ad_2]

    Raymond Wong

    Source link

  • CES 2026: What to expect from tech’s big January conference

    [ad_1]

    The new year is upon us, and that means CES 2026 is imminent. The biggest tech trade show of the calendar comes with a bevy of new and notable announcements that set the tone for trends and expectations for the subsequent 12 months. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4, followed by a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other hotels all over the city. As usual, Engadget will be covering the event in-person and remotely, bringing you news and hands-ons straight from the show floor.

    More specific details and pre-announcements are already trickling out as CES approaches, and thanks to the schedule of the Consumer Technology Association (the trade organization that runs the show) we have a full itinerary of press conferences. We’re also using our experience and expertise to predict what tech trends could rear their heads at the show.

    The CES 2026 schedule

    Press conferences and show floor booths are the bread and butter of CES. The CTA has already published a searchable directory of who will have an official presence at the show, along with a schedule of every official panel and presentation. However, the press conference schedule gives us a more digestible rundown of the first 48 hours of big events.

    On Sunday, January 4, Samsung will kick-off CES with “The First Look,” a presentation hosted by TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung’s DX Division, on the company’s “vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences.” Ahead of that, though, Samsung has already outlined a variety of more specifics (scroll down for details). Concurrent with the Samsung presentation will be the official CES Unveiled mini-show, which is generally comprised of smaller and start-up vendors.

    That’ll be followed by multiple press conferences throughout Monday, January 5. The LG CES 2026 press conference, titled “Innovation in Tune with You,” is ostensibly to share “its vision for elevating daily life through Affectionate Intelligence.” But, like Samsung, this fellow Korean giant has already spent the three weeks leading up to CES pre-announcing many of its new products, so this may be more of a summary than breaking news.

    Following LG, we’ll also see press conferences from Bosch and Hisense, as well as the first-ever CES appearance from Lego. As the Las Vegas afternoon rolls around, we get the first of three chip giants: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang takes the stage on January 5 at 1PM PT (4PM ET) and, according to the website, his presentation will last about 90 minutes. Based on the description on the listing, the presentation will “showcase the latest NVIDIA solutions driving innovation and productivity across industries.” NVIDIA’s presser is concurrent with one from Hyundai, where the Korean automotive company will focus on in-cabin car tech and robotics.

    Later in the day, we get to hear from NVIDIA frenemies Intel and AMD. Intel’s 3PM PT (6PM PT) event will ostensibly feature its new Core Ultra Series 3 processors, and AMD CEO Lisa Su will cover AMD’s upcoming chip announcements at a keynote address that closes out the day. But expect both of them to be very heavy on AI applications, of course. Sandwiched in between those chip manufacturers will be Sony Honda Mobility. The joint venture will be offering yet more details on its Afeela EV.

    Finally, on Tuesday, January 6, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang will host Lenovo’s Tech World Conference at the Las Vegas Sphere, using the large and decidedly curved screen to share the company’s “commitment to delivering smarter AI for all by constantly redefining how technology can engage, inspire, and empower.” It’s worth noting that Lenovo is the parent company of Motorola, which still makes phones and foldables that feature AI tools, so it’s possible those devices feature in the presentation as well.

    Samsung and LG vie for pre-show publicity

    As noted above, both Samsung and LG have continued their recent trend of spoiling nearly all of their respective CES announcements in the days and weeks before the show. LG, for example, has said it will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES. While details are scarce, the company’s press release for the LG Micro RGB evo did confirm it has received certifications by Intertek for 100 percent color gamut coverage in DCI-P3 an Adobe RGB, and that it has more than a thousand dimming zones for brightness control.

    Elsewhere in the TV space, LG is throwing its hat into the “art TV” ring that Samsung pioneered with its Frame TVs: The LG Gallery TV will debut in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, and it will of course show off various artwork when it’s not otherwise in use. And if PC gaming displays are more your speed, LG will have that covered, too, with a new line of 5K-capable gaming monitors on deck with built-in AI upscaling.

    But LG’s not just showing off displays. The Korean multinational will also introduce a Dolby-powered modular home audio system, a new line of its xboom speakers (developed with will.i.am) and the company will flex its automation muscles with a humanoid home automation robot named CLOiD. We’re also looking forward to checking out the company’s new ultralight Aerominum laptops.

    Of course, Samsung refuses to be outdone by its hometown rival, and has also released a pre-CES press release document dump. Samsung will be launching its own lineup of Micro RGB TVs at CES, for starters. The company already introduced its first Micro RGB TV at CES 2025, which was a 115-inch model available for a cool $30,000. Next year, Samsung is expanding the range with 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100- and 115-inch models that use the next evolution of the company’s Micro RGB technology.

    Samsung is also countering LG’s 5K monitors with a 6K model that aims to deliver glasses-free 3D (another long-time CES staple). It’ll be one of several new displays in the company’s Odyssey gaming line. And the company is also updating its Freestyle projector for 2026, too.

    And on the audio front, Samsung has teased several new soundbars and speakers, including Sonos-style Wi-Fi streaming models call the Music Studio 5 and Studio 7.

    Outside of the formal introduction of new products and initiatives, reading the tea leaves of what was announced last year and what companies are reportedly working on, we can make some educated guesses at what we could see at CES 2026.

    New chips from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm

    CES is frequently the start of a cascade of new chip announcements for a given year, and one of the first places new silicon appears in real consumer products. AMD will likely use its keynote to introduce new versions of its Ryzen chips, including the recently spotted Ryzen 7 9850X3D, which is expected to offer better single-threaded performance, and the Ryzen 9000G series, which could be built with AMD’s Zen 5 architecture. The company might also use its CES stage to go over its new FSR Redstone AI upscaling tech.

    Intel has already publicly announced that it’ll launch its Panther Lake chips at CES 2026. The officially titled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips fit into Intel’s overall “AI PC” push, but are specifically meant for premium laptops. Based on a preview from October 2025, Intel says the first chip made with its 2-nanometer 18A process will offer 50 percent more processing performance than previous generations and for the chip’s Arc GPU, a 50 percent performance bump from last generation.

    Qualcomm is also rumored to be targeting laptops at the show, building on the work it’s done moving its Snapdragon chips out of phones and tablets and into other types of computers. The company’s Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips should start appearing in laptops at CES 2026, offering a look at the improved speed and AI performance the company promised in 2025.

    Brighter, “truer” screens

    As noted above, Samsung and LG appear to be going all-in on Micro RGB display tech for TVs. Expect that to be a huge buzzword at CES, with Hisense and Sony debuting new models, too.

    Sony announced a collection of new Bravia TVs in April 2025, replacing the company’s flagship, filling in its midrange options and adding a new budget model to the mix. The star of this updated Bravia lineup is the Bravia 9, which features a QD-OLED panel, but Sony appears to be prepping entirely new display tech for 2026. In March 2025, Sony introduced a new RGB LED panel that uses individual Mini LED backlights colored in red, green and blue to produce even brighter, more accurate colors. In contrast to a QD-OLED, which filters a layer of blue organic light emitting diodes through quantum dots that change color, Sony’s “General RGB LED Backlight Technology” can get as bright as a Mini LED panel without needing an extra filter layer or worrying about OLED’s problems with burn-in.

    The company has already trademarked the name “True RGB,” which could end up being what Sony calls this new flavor of display if it decides to show them off at CES. It seems entirely likely, because CES is nothing if not a TV show — it’s a sure bet that we’ll see new TVs from the likes of LG and Samsung in addition to Sony. If the company doesn’t introduce new display tech for its TVs, it does have a new 240Hz PlayStation monitor coming in 2026 that it could show off at CES instead.

    Sony isn’t the only company hyped on bright screens. Samsung is reportedly pushing an updated version of the HDR10 and HDR10+ standards that could be ready to demo at CES 2026. The new HDR10+ Advanced standard would be Samsung’s answer to Dolby Vision 2, which includes support for things bi-directional tone mapping and intelligent features that automatically adapt sports and gaming content. Samsung’s take will reportedly offer improved brightness, genre-based tone mapping and intelligent motion smoothing options, among other improvements.

    And maybe your future TV won’t need a power cord, either: Displace will be showing off a mounting option that includes a 15,000mAh battery to juice up whatever giant TV screen you choose to attach.

    Ballie Watch 2026

    The ball-shaped yellow robot lovingly known as “Ballie” has been announced twice, first in 2020 and then again in 2024 with a projector in tow. Samsung said Ballie would go on sale in 2025 at CES last year and then shared in April 2025 that Ballie would ship this summer with Google’s Gemini onboard. But it’s nearly 2026, and Ballie is nowhere to be seen. It’s possible Samsung could make a third attempt at announcing its robot at CES 2026, but whether or not it does, robotics will still be a big part of the show.

    Robot vacuums and mops were a major highlight of CES 2025, and it’s safe to expect notable improvements from the new models that are announced at CES 2026. Not every company will adopt the retractable arm of the Roborock Saros Z70, but robot vacuums with legs for rising over small ledges like the Dreame X50 seem like they could become the norm. Roborock could also show off its new Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the first of its robot vacuums to feature a retractable roller mop.

    Beyond just traversing spaces more efficiently, improving robots’ navigation could also be a major concern at the show. Prominent members of the AI industry are turning their attention from large language models to world models, which aim to give AI a deep understanding of physical space. Those world models could be the key to making robots — like LG’s aforementioned CLOiD — competent at navigating homes and workplaces, and will likely be a significant talking point at CES 2026.

    We’ll be updating this article throughout the month as more rumors surface and new products are confirmed — stay tuned for future updates!

    Update, December 11 2025, 11:03AM ET: This story has been updated to include detail on Lenovo being Motorola’s parent company and how the latter might have a part in the Tuesday presentation.

    Update, December 16 2025, 1:33PM ET: This story has been updated to include the NVIDIA press conference, which was added to the CTA schedule within the last two days.

    Update, December 23 2025, 7:28AM ET: This story has been updated to include LG and Samsung’s Micro RGB TV announcements, which were made public in the past seven days. The intro was also tweaked to reflect how soon CES is at this point.

    Update, December 29 2025, 11:03AM ET: This story has been updated to include additional details on pre-announcements from Samsung, LG and Displace.

    Update, December 31 2025, 12:05PM ET: This story has been updated to include yet more early LG announcements.

    Update, January 3 2026, 8:45AM ET: This story has been updated to include still more Samsung and LG announcements.

    [ad_2]

    Ian Carlos Campbell,Cherlynn Low

    Source link

  • How to watch Samsung’s ‘First Look’ CES 2026 presentation on Sunday

    [ad_1]

    Samsung is arguably the 800-pound gorilla of CES, with a full spectrum of products that range from phones and computers to refrigerators, AI assistants and rolling robots. But for CES 2026, the company is switching things up a bit: Instead of its longtime midday Monday press conference, the Korean giant will take the lead of the show with a Sunday night presentation.

    Over the past few weeks, Samsung has been dropping hints about what’s on the agenda, but what we’re really hoping to see is an update on the Ballie robot — a star of previous CES presentations that ostensibly missed its previously promised 2025 release date.

    How to watch Samsung’s “The First Look” presentation at CES 2026

    The event will stream live from the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas on Sunday, January 4 at 10PM ET. There are several ways to tune in: you can watch via the Samsung Newsroom, Samsung Electronics’ official YouTube channel or via Samsung TV Plus. (We’ll embed the stream here once it appears on the channel.)

    What to expect from Samsung at CES 2026

    Keynote speaker TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, will discuss the company’s plans for the new year and beyond, which will (of course) include “new AI-driven customer experiences,” the company said in a press release. In addition, we’ll hear from the President and Head of the Visual Display Business, SW Yong and Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances Business, Cheolgi Kim. Those two will “share their respective business directions for the upcoming year.”

    But if you’re looking for more specifics, Samsung is following its “Advent calendar” approach to early CES announcements, with new press releases dropping nearly every day. So far, we know that — like competitors LG and Hisense — the company will be offering details on a line of micro RGB TVs (replete with confirmed screen sizes of 55 to 115 inches). Also confirmed: a full line of appliances infused with what Samsung calls Bespoke AI. Samsung will also display its two newest speakers, Music Studio 5 and 7, at CES this year. Additionally, it’ll debut its latest Freestyle+ portable projector.

    Just before the holidays, Samsung also unveiled a slew of new gaming monitors, but most impressive is the Odyssey gaming monitor. It boasts a 32-inch 6K screen and has glasses-free 3D. It’s likely we could see this at CES, along with other models like the 27-inch Odyssey G6 and the Odyssey G8 models.

    Samsung will likely continue to map out its CES plans in greater detail as the January 4 event approaches, so we’ll keep updating this story as it does.

    [ad_2]

    Katie Teague

    Source link

  • Where are Engadget’s CES 2025 winners now?

    [ad_1]

    With CES 2026 slated to officially start next week, the focus is understandably on all the new products that will be announced at this year’s event. But before diving into what’s new, we thought it was a good idea to revisit our best of show winners from last year to see where they’re at. After all, CES is synonymous with vaporware. The good news is the Engadget team has a keen sense for BS. Of the ones we awarded at CES 2025 that haven’t been released, most are coming this year. For the remaining few, we’ll be hunting them down this CES.

    ASUS Zenbook A14

    An Asus Zenbook A14 sits out a patio table. (Devindra Hardawar for Engadget)

    When we saw the ASUS Zenbook A14 at CES 2025, it left us impressed with its lightweight but well-made chassis, beautiful OLED screen and excellent mix of ports. After spending more time with it, the A14’s shortcomings became more apparent. In his review of the ultraportable, Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar gave the laptop a score of 78, lamenting its poor performance and expensive price tag. In the end, it wasn’t quite the Windows MacBook Air competitor he had hoped for initially.

    BioLite Backup

    The BioLite Backup powers a Galan2 fridge.

    The BioLite Backup powers a Galan2 fridge. (Amy Skorheim for Engadget)

    At CES 2025, BioLite was already taking pre-orders for its automatic home backup power supply. The BioLite Backup didn’t arrive in 2025, but if you visit the company’s website today, you can reserve one for $100, with final pricing expected to start at $2,000. BioLite says units will start shipping this year.

    Jackery Solar Roof

    A CES display shows the Jackery XBC solar panels in obsidian.

    A CES display shows the Jackery XBC solar panels in obsidian. (Jess Conditt for Engadget)

    Before CES 2025, Jackery was already an established player in the domestic solar power industry, and at the event, it impressed us with its XBC curved solar shingles. They look like regular roof shingles, but Jackery said they would deliver cell conversion efficiency of more than 25 percent.

    It’s taken longer than anticipated, but Jackery says it now expects the shingles to go on sale in the US “very soon,” with pricing likely to range between $1,100 and $1,300 per square meter depending on the customer’s design requirements and how they purchase the product. When contacted by Engadget, Jackery also teased a handful of announcements for CES 2026, including updates on devices like the Solar Mars Robot it’s been working on for the last little while.

    Lenovo Legion Go S

    The Lenovo Legion Go S sits on an opaque glass table with a comic book behind it.

    The Lenovo Legion Go S sits on an opaque glass table with a comic book behind it. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)

    With the Legion Go S, Lenovo promised two different versions of its new handheld: one running Windows 11, and the other Valve’s Steam OS. Unfortunately, the Windows variant arrived first (shortly after CES), and was about as good as expected. However, the wait for the SteamOS model was well worth it. When Engadget’s Sam Rutherford finally reviewed it over the summer, he praised it for fast performance, bright display and of course the ease of use offered by SteamOS.

    LG OLED evo M5

    A man and his dalmatian gaze at a 77-inch LG OLED TV.

    A man and his dalmatian gaze at a 77-inch LG OLED TV. (LG)

    LG’s OLED TVs are a perennial CES favorite at Engadget, and the company’s 2025 slate was no different. The flagship evo M5 model impressed with its 165Hz refresh rate for gaming, better image processing for lower resolution content and a wireless transmission system for video and audio. At $4,300, the set is expensive, but the good news is LG typically does a good job of trickling down features to its more  affordable sets, and I’m sure the company will continue to improve on its OLED technology this year.

    Moonbird Moonbuddy

    A hand holds the Moonbird Moonbuddy. The device has the teddy sleeve on.

    A hand holds the Moonbird Moonbuddy. The device has the teddy sleeve on. (Moonbird)

    The Moonbuddy was one of two “cute” gadgets that made Engadget’s best of CES 2025 list. We liked Moonbird’s decision to make a screenless meditation and sleep aid for children. The good news is you can buy your kid a Moonbuddy right now, with the device currently discounted to $110.42 as part of Moonbird’s end of year sale.

    Unfortunately, when Engadget contacted the company to ask about its CES 2026, all it sent us back was a response from “Luna,” its automated AI agent. “I don’t have specific information about our CES 2026 exhibition plans to share with you right now,” the bot told me, adding I should email the address I just emailed to get a response from a human being.

    OhSnap MCON

    Engadget senior reporter Jessica Conditt holds the OhSnap MCON in her hand at CES 2025. The attached phone displays Minecraft.

    Engadget senior reporter Jessica Conditt holds the OhSnap MCON in her hand at CES 2025. The attached phone displays Minecraft. (Jess Conditt for Engadget)

    The OhSnap MCON won us over with its simple pitch: it basically had the ability to turn any smartphone into a Xperia Play. Actually accomplishing that feat was more complicated, with components like Hall effect joysticks for added durability increasing the time it took for OhSnap to get the product ready. For that reason, the MCON didn’t make it out to consumers in 2025. However, you can preorder one now for about $210, with shipments slated to start this year.

    Roborock Saros Z70

    The Roborock Saros Z70 uses its robotic arm to put a handful of socks into a basket.

    The Roborock Saros Z70 uses its robotic arm to put a handful of socks into a basket. (Karissa Bell for Engadget)

    The Saros Z70 was one of a handful of robot vacuums that debuted at CES 2025 with a built-in extendable arm, but Roborock’s flagship was the one that made the best impression. We didn’t end up recommending it in our robot vacuum guide; there are more affordable options that will appeal to a greater number of people. But if you want the latest and greatest, the Saros Z70 is on sale right now for $2,000.

    Yukai Engineering Mirumi

    A Mirumi robot sticks to a pink purse.

    A Mirumi robot sticks to a pink purse. (Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget)

    Of all the gadgets Engadget saw at CES 2025, it’s fair to say the Mirumi robot from Yukai Engineering was the only one to steal our hearts. All this cute little charm does is stare at you and move its head around a little until you’ve been tricked into a few moments of happiness, and honestly that was more than enough for us to award it a best of CES award. Right now, you can find Yukai Engineering accepting pre-orders for Mirumi through Kickstarter. The project, which began at the start of December, easily surged past its modest $4,878 goal, raising $267,170 as of the writing of this article. The campaign ends on January 22, so you still have time to secure your Mirumi preorder.

    Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds

    A pair of Technics AZ100 earbuds sit on a wooden desk, with an iPhone and a pair of books next to them.

    A pair of Technics AZ100 earbuds sit on a wooden desk, with an iPhone and a pair of books next to them. (Billy Steele for Engadget)

    They might have only been a pair of earbuds, but a lot of us left CES really excited about the Technics EAH-AZ100. The reason for that was that they were the debut of the company’s new magnetic fluid drivers technology, which promised to deliver even more clarity, detail and bass than the drivers in Technics’ already excellent AZ80 earbuds. When Engadget’s resident audio guru Billy Steele got a chance to review the EAH-AZ100 a couple of months later, he gave them a score of 85, saying they offered “some of the best sound quality in any of the hundreds of earbuds I’ve tested over the years.”

    Urtopia Titanium Zero

    The Titanium Zero sits at a CES display with other e-bikes nearby.

    The Titanium Zero sits at a CES display with other e-bikes nearby. (Daniel Cooper for Engadget)

    As a cyclist, the Urtopia Titanium Zero was the one product I left CES 2025 excited to see in the real world. If a titanium bike wasn’t cool enough already, the Zero’s Quark DM1.2 motor offered something actually innovative: a mid-drive motor with more power output than even the best hub motor. Unfortunately, while you can buy plenty of other e-bikes off of Urtopia’s website, the Titanium Zero isn’t on sale yet. That said, the company plans to showcase the bike, alongside the Quark DM1.2, at CES 2026.

    WeWalk Smart Cane 2

    A person uses the Wewalk Smart Cane 2 to find their way through a CES booth.

    A person uses the Wewalk Smart Cane 2 to find their way through a CES booth. (Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget)

    The WeWalk Smart Cane 2 won two awards from Engadget during CES 2025, including our coveted best in show nod. At an event where nearly every manufacturer found a way to add AI to their devices, the Smart Cane 2 appealed to us for its thoughtful use of the tech. It offers turn-by-turn navigation and obstacle detection, in addition to a GPT-powered voice assistant to give users a way to access information without also having to juggle their phone at the same time. If you visit WeWalk’s website today, there’s a “buy now” link for the Smart Cane 2 that leads to a dead end. When Engadget reached out to WeWalk, the company said it would be once again at CES demoing the Smart Cane 2.

    [ad_2]

    Igor Bonifacic

    Source link

  • How to watch the AMD CES 2026 keynote live

    [ad_1]

    AMD is kicking off on Monday, where it’ll cover its latest AI developments and perhaps show off its newest Ryzen chips. The company will outline the full scope of its vision for AI implementations from across the full spectrum of consumer and enterprise applications. The presentation — which is the for CES 2026 — will be led by CEO Dr. Lisa Su.

    We’ll tell you how to tune in to the livestream and what else you can expect to see.

    How to watch AMD’s keynote live

    Dr. Su will deliver a keynote speech from the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian on Monday, January 5 at 9:30PM ET (6:30PM PT). You can watch the event live on the (we’ve embedded the livestream below).

    What to expect

    While AMD says it’s keeping its product details , we can expect “updates on AI solutions, from cloud to enterprise, edge and devices.”

    It’s also likely that AMD will unveil its new versions of the Ryzen chips during its keynote on Monday, as Su will talk about the “advancements driven by Ryzen CPUs.” That could include the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, which is expected to have . Additionally, we can expect to see the Ryzen 9000G series, which is potentially built with AMD’s Zen 5 architecture.

    Regarding AI, AMD could further discuss its new technology, which it previously previewed on December 10. AMD’s upscaling tech aims to close the gap on NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, which was announced during CES 2025.

    Su’s presentation caps off CES’s press day, so she’ll be taking the stage in the hours after rivals and Intel present their chipmaking and AI bona plans to the world.

    [ad_2]

    Katie Teague

    Source link

  • Engadget Podcast: Everything we expect at CES 2026

    [ad_1]

    We’re gearing up for CES 2026! Engadget will be on the ground, once again, to dive into the latest TVs, wearables and other wild tech from the world’s biggest consumer electronics show. In this episode, we chat about some new products we expect to see, like Micro RGB LED TVs and AI devices, and peer into what’s ahead for the rest of 2026.

    Subscribe!

    Credits

    Hosts: Devindra Hardawar
    Producer: Ben Ellman
    Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien

    [ad_2]

    Devindra Hardawar

    Source link

  • How to watch Samsung’s “First Look” CES 2026 presentation

    [ad_1]

    Samsung is arguably the 800-pound gorilla of CES, with a full spectrum of products that range from phones and computers to refrigerators to AI assistants and rolling robots. But for , the company is shaking up the schedule a bit: Instead of its longtime midday Monday press conference position, the Korean giant will front-run the entire show with a Sunday night presentation.

    Samsung has already given a few hints as to what’s on the agenda, but what we’re really hoping to see is an update on the — a star of previous CES presentations that ostensibly missed its previously promised .

    How to watch Samsung’s “The First Look” presentation at CES 2026

    The event will stream live from the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas on Sunday, January 4 at 10PM ET. There are several ways to tune in: you can watch via the , or via Samsung TV Plus. (We’ll embed the stream here once it appears on the channel.)

    What to expect from Samsung at CES 2026

    Keynote speaker TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, will discuss the company’s plans for the new year and beyond, which will (of course) include “new AI-driven customer experiences,” the company . In addition, we’ll hear from the President and Head of the Visual Display Business, SW Yong and Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances Business, Cheolgi Kim. Those two will “share their respective business directions for the upcoming year.”

    But if you’re looking for more specifics, Samsung is following its “Advent calendar” approach to early CES announcements, with dropping nearly each day. So far, we know that — like competitors LG and Hisense — the company will be offering details on a line of (replete with confirmed screen sizes of 55 to 115 inches). Also confirmed: a full line of appliances infused with what Samsung calls .

    It’s likely Samsung will map out its CES plans in greater detail as the January 4 event approaches, so we’ll update this story accordingly when it does.

    [ad_2]

    Katie Teague

    Source link

  • How to watch the Sony Honda Afeela CES 2026 press conference

    [ad_1]

    Sony’s CES 2026 press conference is just days away, but this year has a twist: Instead of an overview of Sony’s electronics, video game and Hollywood studio plans for the new year, the presser will apparently have a more narrow focus: electric vehicles. That’s because the traditional end-of-press-day slot isn’t just Sony, but rather Sony Honda Mobility — the joint venture responsible for the Afeela 1 electric car that has been showcased at CES for the better part of a decade. This year, however, we’ll also apparently get to see a an all-new concept model at the event, too.

    How to watch the Sony Afeela CES 2026 press conference

    The event will be streamed live from Las Vegas on Monday, January 5 at 8PM ET via the Afeela official YouTube channel. (We’ll embed the stream here once it appears on the channel.)

    What to expect from Sony Afeela at CES

    What’s now the Afeela 1 has been shown in various incarnations since CES 2020, where it was originally announced as Vision-S. But so many more important details were confirmed in the past couple of years, including the price, which starts at a staggering $89,900. However, the earlier impressions were less than impressive, and as of CES 2025, that thought remains the same. Engadget’s automotive expert Tim Stevens said earlier this year that the EV “feels like a PlayStation 4 in the PS5 era,” and that “the car lost what little interesting styling it had while sticking true to some specifications that sounded good five years ago.” Ouch.

    But the Afeela 1 won’t be the only vehicle on display. Its CES booth will showcase “several Afeela 1 pre-production vehicles in multiple color variations, alongside a new Afeela concept model,” Sony Honda Mobility said in a press release.

    We’re hoping to hear about what’s new and improved at CES 2026, and we’re also excited to see its newest concept model. And between booth displays and press releases, we’re hoping we’ll get to see at least a few new Sony Electronics products on the docket for 2026, too.

    [ad_2]

    Katie Teague

    Source link

  • LG announces new line of xboom speakers ahead of CES

    [ad_1]

    LG just revealed several new speakers in the xboom line . These speakers are part of with will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas, who is on board as the “experimental architect” involved with “development, design and brand marketing.”

    These speakers are fairly different from one another, but they all have AI in common. Each speaker includes an algorithm that automatically adjusts the EQ after analyzing the audio content and the listening space. Many also feature an AI algorithm for ambient lighting, which will adjust the lights to match the song being played.

    The xboom Stage 501 is intended for parties and karaoke sessions. It features additional AI that can remove vocals from “virtually any song” and even adjust the pitch. The battery lasts for around 25 hours and can operate while plugged in. The speaker delivers up to 220W of power, with dual woofers and full-range drivers. It boasts a five-sided cabinet design that allows for vertical and horizontal placement.

    LG

    The xboom Blast is a boombox with a 99Wh battery that allows for up to 35 hours of continuous playback. That’s a mighty fine metric. This is a modern boombox, so it’s designed for durability. There are edge bumpers and a side rope handle for carrying.

    A speaker

    LG

    The Mini is a tiny doodad that can be placed just about anywhere. It offers ten hours of battery life per charge and a strap for easy placement. The speaker also includes a built-in tripod mount.

    A speaker.

    LG

    The Rock is a, well, rock-shaped speaker that’s larger than the Mini but can still be held in the palm of the hand. The battery lasts for ten hours and the design is focused on durability. It has been tested to “seven military standards” to ensure reliability in “challenging outdoor environments.” This is an upgrade of the .

    We don’t have pricing or exact availability on this stuff yet, though the speakers will be on display at LG’s booth at CES. The company has said that all four of these gadgets will come out in 2026.

    [ad_2]

    Lawrence Bonk

    Source link

  • CES has almost fully succeeded in chasing sex-tech off its show floors | TechCrunch

    CES has almost fully succeeded in chasing sex-tech off its show floors | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    CES has long been a launchpad for innovation and cutting-edge technology. However, at this year’s event, there was a conspicuous void: the near-absence of sex tech. Despite being an industry that caters to a universal human experience, sex tech has always had an uneasy association with CES.

    This year, its conspicuous absence begs the question: Why are we still so prudishly resistant to integrating technology and intimacy?

    In 2019, sex tech had its headline moment at CES when pleasure tech company Lora DiCarlo won an innovation award—only for it to be rescinded, and then reinstated after widespread backlash. (It later went out of business). This controversy highlighted the uneasy relationship between the mainstream tech industry and its more intimate cousin.

    Fast forward to 2024, and it seems CES has effectively managed to chase the sex tech industry off its show floors.

    I went looking for sex-tech companies to potentially do a roundup, and there were few enough to recognize only one trend: Not in sex tech, but in the absence thereof. One company stood out: Norwegian company Ohdoki, the creators of The Handy and the CES-launched Oh!, were a refreshing presence in the otherwise prudish tech landscape. Their booth was bustling with activity, offering a stark contrast to the largely sex-tech-absent event.

    It’s unclear whether it’s CES itself that’s trying to reduce the amount of sexiness on its show floors – the show itself has evolved a lot over the years, and this correspondent thinks it’s a relief to see the so-called ‘booth babes’ being all but absent: A huge change from my first CES back in 2007 or so, where scantily-clad models were everywhere. But while I celebrate the banishment of sexism – objectifying humans at booths has no place in 2024 – sex itself ought to have a place in the vernacular of technology.

    It’s puzzling to me why we, as a community, keep erasing sexuality from tech – when it’s such an universal part of the human experience – to such an extent.

    Read more about CES 2024 on TechCrunch

    [ad_2]

    Haje Jan Kamps

    Source link

  • LG Signature OLED T 4K

    LG Signature OLED T 4K

    [ad_1]

    LG Signature OLED T 4K – Erster transparenter OLED Fernseher ist ein Designerstück

    Wenn der Fernseher zum Designobjekt wird. LG hat mit dem LG Signature OLED T 4K den weltweit ersten kabellosen transparenten OLED Fernseher vorgestellt. Ich habe ihn mir auf der CES einmal angeschaut.

    Der Signature OLED T 4K bietet eine 4K-Auflösung und eine Bildwiederholrate von 120 Hz. Das einzige Kabel zum Fernseher ist übrigens das Stromkabel, denn hier kommt die Zero Connect Box zum Einsatz. Bild und Audio werden kabellos zum Fernseher übertragen.

    LG setzt hier auf ein modulares Design. So wird es ihn als Standgerät oder für die Wandmontage geben und zusätzlich auch mit stehenden oder schwebenden Regalen.

    Vor allem mit dem optional erhältlichen Regal sieht der Fernseher einfach nur wunderschön aus wie ich finde und ist ein sehr schickes Designelement in der Wohnung. Durch das Regal kann er auch gut als Raumtrenner eingesetzt werden.

    LG Signature OLED T 4K

    Eine Besonderheit hat der Fernseher noch und zwar kann auf Wunsch auf der Rückseite eine spezielle Rückwandfolie hochgezogen werden, um das Bild zu verbessern. Durch diese Folie ist der Fernseher nicht mehr transparent und es erhöht sich natürlich auch die Bildqualität, da die Folie natürlich den Bildschirm von hinten abdunkelt.

    LG Signature OLED T 4K | Preis & Verfügbarkeit

    Aktuell steht allerdings noch nicht fest ob der Fernseher auch in Deutschland auf den Markt kommen wird, weshalb LG hier auch keinerlei Informationen zu Preis & Verfügbarkeit bekanntgegeben hat. Ein fünfstelliger Betrag ist allerdings sicherlich realistisch für diese neue Technologie

    XXL Adventskalender 2023 (Tür 36)

    Samsung Galaxy S24 Reihe vorgestellt

    [ad_2]

    Johannes

    Source link

  • All the future of transportation tech that stood out at CES 2024 | TechCrunch

    All the future of transportation tech that stood out at CES 2024 | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    Another CES has come and gone and transportation was still one of the central actors on one of the world’s largest tech stages. It wasn’t just electric cars either that captured our attention at CES 2024.

    Companies and startups focused on automated driving, EV charging, software (and more specifically AI), sensors, aviation, boats, drones, micromobility — you name it — were there. And luckily, so was TechCrunch.

    Here are some of the tech themes that stood out to us at CES 2024.

    Everything electric

    Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec

    The Big Three U.S. automakers — GM, Ford and Stellantis — may not have had splashy displays and product reveals, but numerous others were there helping cement CES as a major auto show. Honda, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Sony, Turkey’s Togg and Vinfast all showed off electric concepts and production cars at the event.

    It wasn’t just large established automakers that had a presence at CES 2024 either. Electrification has seeped into every corner of transportation from motorcycles and e-bikes to go karts, big rigs, boats and aircraft.

    For instance, Segway revealed two electric scooters, the E2 Pro and Superscooter ST1, two e-bikes called the Segway Xafari and the Segway Xyber as well as a Segway GoKart Pro 2 that can be connected to a PC and used for playing racing games like Forza.

    Startups were also in full force and could be found at a variety of CES-related events such as Pepcom and Unveiled. Cleveland, Ohio-based startup Land Energy was back with its sporty e-bike that has a swappable battery, while Finland’s Verge Motorcycles showed off its Verge TS Ultra, an electric motorcycle with a hubless ring design, advanced driver assist tech and a powertrain that produces an eye-popping 201 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. Over in Eureka Park, where hundreds of startups set up shop, electrification was also present. One startup that caught my eye was Solar Buggy, a company that has developed an electric urban mobility vehicle that looks like an enclosed golf cart.

    an electric air taxi paint in white sits on a platform at CES 2024

    Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec

    And of course, there were the electric aircraft and drones. On the startup front, Pivotal opened up online orders for its personal electric aircraft the Helix while autonomous on-demand drone companies Zipline and Wing landed a huge deal with Walmart. Hyundai’s advanced air mobility unit Supernal revealed its production-intent electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and Xpeng Aeroht, the subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng Motors, showed off a new concept and announced that deliveries for its Land Aircraft Carrier would start in late 2025.

    With so many electric vehicles, it might not surprise folks to learn that EV charging companies were also there en masse. Outside of the better-known charging infrastructure companies, we found startups focused on EV charging software as well as those showing off novel approaches like WiTricity’s wireless charging tech.

    Generative AI

    An image showing the interior of a new Volkswagen Gold including the steering wheel and touchscreen.

    Image Credits: Volkswagen

    Before even stepping foot on the show floor, TechCrunch staff were forecasting that AI would dominate CES 2024. We weren’t wrong. AI was everywhere, including in transportation from cars and e-bikes to scooters and electric aviation.

    There were loads of companies touting AI. While there was certainly plenty of vaporware, many companies demonstrated how software is increasingly incorporating AI to offer (hopefully) more capable products, including vehicle sensors, voice assistants in cars and autonomous driving systems.

    There was also lot of chatter around generative AI, and more specifically, ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot functions by using by large deep learning models that have been trained on vast datasets. I checked out two ChatGPT demos: one with BMW and another from a collaboration with software company Cerence and Volkswagen.

    Volkswagen announced plans to add an AI-powered chatbot into all Volkswagen models equipped with its IDA voice assistant.

    Meanwhile, BMW and partner Amazon showed off a development project that uses generative AI, powered by the Alexa LLM, to give the automaker’s voice assistant greater capability and deliver information in a more human, conversational manner.

    Hydrogen

    2024 CES hyundai hydrogen

    Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Co., center, and Chang Hwan Kim, senior vice president and head of battery development and hydrogen and fuel cell development for Hyundai Motor Co at CES 2024. Image credits: Getty images via Bloomberg

    Hydrogen power isn’t new, however, it’s taken a bit of a backseat lately to more traditional battery electric vehicles.  Don’t tell anyone at CES 2024, though, as this year’s show floor was littered with vehicles of all sizes that are hydrogen-powered.

    Hyundai, which has a growing portfolio of battery-powered electric vehicles, came to CES to talk about hydrogen fuel cells and its vision for the alternative fuel. Nikola finally showed off one of its first U.S.-built hydrogen trucks that it’s starting to ship to customers and Bosch, which already makes hydrogen fuel cells (like the one Nikola uses in its truck), announced it will make an engine that can combust hydrogen. Truck maker PACCAR also showed off a hydrogen-powered truck.

    We also ran into other hydrogen-focused startups that were walking the halls to meet with media, potential investors and industry folks. Croft Motors was one we came across. The startup is developing “rugged” hydrogen-powered vehicles, starting with a three-row, prototype SUV with an “anticipated 1,000 miles of driving range.

    In-cabin hardware meets software

    harman-tech-ces

    Harman shows off its ReadyCare product at CES 2024. Image credit: Kirsten Korosec

    Automakers, automotive suppliers and even some startups, showed off their respective vision for the inside of the car. Yes, there were plenty of touchscreens, including the popular curved design.

    In-car tech stretched well beyond that though into areas of safety, health assessments and entertainment. Eye-tracking tech was everywhere. For instance, Harman showed off its branded Ready Care system, which can measure a driver’s eye activity, cognitive load and vital signs to determine the level of focus and attention on the road ahead.

    A number of companies also showcased how hardware such as cameras and other sensors once used for safety are now being leveraged for other more comfort-focused services. Bosch showed how eye-tracking tech could be used during your drive to figure out what points of interest you’re looking at, and the car could offer contextual information.

    Meanwhile, Mercedes presented a whole package of features that when combined creates a full experience for the driver and passengers, including an upgraded voice assistant, in-car gaming, immersive audio and an app developed by will.i.am’s new company Sound Drive that matches the throttle, brakes and steering to a sort of intelligent multichannel mixer that influences songs playing in the car.

    My takeaway: companies understand that drivers and passengers are a captured audience, so to speak. And they’re all working on ways to bring all the tech we have on our phones and homes into the car.

    Read more about CES 2024 on TechCrunch

    [ad_2]

    Kirsten Korosec

    Source link

  • Age tech at CES was much more than gadgets | TechCrunch

    Age tech at CES was much more than gadgets | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    W
    elcome to the TechCrunch Exchange, a weekly startups-and-markets newsletter. It’s inspired by the daily TechCrunch+ column where it gets its name. Want it in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here.

    There was a lot going on in tech this week, and not just CES. But yes, CES was definitely worth watching closely, if only just for the rise of age tech. — Anna

    Better aging

    Following CES from a distance this year, I couldn’t help but notice how age tech, or silver tech, companies seemed to be in the spotlight — perhaps more than we expected.

    For instance, I read that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had visited the booth of AgeTech Collaborative, an initiative from U.S. senior advocacy group AARP to showcase “groundbreaking age tech innovations” during the event.

    [ad_2]

    Anna Heim

    Source link

  • What CES 2024 told us about the home robot | TechCrunch

    What CES 2024 told us about the home robot | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    Few tech demos can match the spectacle of robotics. Even as the field grows increasingly prevalent in a broad range of industrial workplaces, mechatronics doing impressive things will never cease to amaze. For many, the mere presence of a robot is shorthand for the future, and for big electronics firms, it’s a quick and simple method to let shareholders and customers know your company is still innovating.

    Whether or not those robots actually lead to salable products is almost beside the point. So long as you have other real products coming to market in the next few months, those futuristic demos can disappear for all anyone cares. Remember that robot chef Samsung “debuted” at CES 2020? It was a month or so before COVID swallowed the world, so probably not.

    But it did what it needed to and — to the best of our knowledge — went away. At least the “return” of Ballie demonstrated that Samsung hasn’t lost interest in the home robot. The spherical home patrolling ’bot, which now contains a projector, is — at the very least — a more realistic vision for home robots near-term. While I certainly wouldn’t bet good money that the thing will ever make it to market here, Korea or anywhere, Ballie is a perfectly achievable goal.

    Whether it’s a good goal is another question entirely. I firmly believe that the home robot has life beyond Roomba. So why — after 20+ years — do we have little more to show for it than a bunch of robot vacuums? It’s one of those simple questions with deceptively complex answers. Functionality is a big piece. Most robots in this world are single purpose. They’re designed to do one specific thing well over and over until they can’t anymore.

    After years of banging their collective heads against the wall, iRobot hit pay dirt with the first Roomba in late 2002. It was an idea so good that no one has topped it since. Instead, conservatively tens of millions of dollars go into R&D across countless companies aimed at building a better robot vacuum. And yes, the Roombas of today are vast improvements over their ancestors. They’re smarter, have a better sense of space, figured out how to mop and — most importantly — won’t track animal shit across your carpet.

    Security has long been floated as a second killer application for the home. The idea makes enough sense on the face of it. Why settle for a Ring cam when you can get a Ring Cam on wheels? (Granted there are plenty of good reasons for this, but that’s beside the point.) That was the main selling point behind Amazon’s Astro. That the robot hasn’t been a rousing success is due in no small part to limited functionality combined with a prohibitive price point. It’s a combination that Ballie will almost certainly suffer from, should it ever actually come to market.

    Matic’s vacuum uses an array of cameras to map spaces — and understand where it is in them. Image Credits: Matic

    Unfortunately, I was only able to take two meetings at this year’s CES due to illness. One, however, happens to be very relevant for this specific conversation. Matic is — for most intents and purposes — yet another robot vacuum looking to make a name in a very crowded space. The reason we covered the company’s November launch and why I agreed to meet with them this week is a combination of their unique approach to the category in addition to its founders’ pedigrees and financial backing from knowledgeable sources.

    What really jumped out at me during our conversation is that the company has effectively built a home robotics platform that appears to be pretty good at vacuuming and mopping. I’ve been thinking of it a bit like Nvidia’s Nova Carter mobile reference robot. In the process of cleaning homes, you get better and better at navigating using the on-board vision system. Should Matic or someone else master the home equivalent to level 5 autonomy, you’ve got yourself a great foundation for additional functionality.

    But what, precisely, will the silver bullet be? The smart money is on another chore people hate doing, but the current factory still presents too many limitations. An affordable, robust mobile grasper is another one of those surprisingly complex issues that a lot of people have been working on for a long time. But as with the world of autonomous mobile warehouse robotics, it’s easy to imagine how attaching a gripper to one opens a new world of functionality.

    You would probably want that robot to reach high places and traverse stairs. You can start with a drone foundation — that addresses the question of mobility well — but the payloads, and therefore functionality, is still very limited if you don’t want something the size of a Honda Civic floating around your home.

    So naturally, we end up where we often do these days. You start by attaching arms, then you bring legs. Suddenly you’re looking at something that looks a lot more like yourself. This is a big part of the reason many roboticists just can’t quit humanoids. Even more so than factories and warehouses, our homes are built for ourselves, so it tracks that we would build something that looks like us to navigate those spaces.

    Of course, no one is ready to have a serious conversation about humanoids in the home just yet. There have been plenty of unserious ones, of course, but no one is expecting a commercially available general-purpose humanoid home robot this year. Again, there are several reasons. The first and most obvious is price. Enterprise still makes way more sense in the short term. Corporations have deep pockets and will spend a lot if they believe it will save them in the end. The demand for industrial automation has also been proven out time and again.

    Warehouses are also just generally easier to navigate than homes. At the end of the day, they are significantly more structured and uniform. Also, each one of these robots is going to enter the work force with a single job. They’ll do it repetitively until they perfect it and then maybe learn another job. In most cases in most factories and warehouses, however, there are plenty of repetitive around-the-clock jobs to keep these systems busy for a long time. After the Roomba, consumers are going to demand home robots that can do more.

    ElliQ 3.0

    Image Credits: Intuition Robotics

    The other big question mark in all of this is generative AI. It was prevalent at CES to the point of almost losing all meaning, and there are days when I’m annoyed with myself for adding to that chorus. But generative AI will have a profound impact on robotics, full stop. There are a lot of different venues, but at least two — learning and natural language — lead back to eventual general-purpose systems. The bad news, however, is that optimistic projections put that roadmap out about five years, minimum.

    This was a big year for robotics at CES. At same time, we frustratingly don’t feel any closer to ubiquitous home robots than we were this same time last year. That’s not to say the near-term roadmap is devoid of interesting plays. For something more realistic than a chicken in every pot and two Teslabots in every garage, we should examine the age tech space. AARP’s accelerator (who, along with Samsung was the other meeting I was able to take this year) is doing fine work to shine a spotlight on this category.

    Japan invariably comes up in every conversation around the category, because the country has been out ahead of the rest of the world, owing to its own aging population. Robots are a big part of that. So far, they seem to be less prevalent in the broader age tech category, but there’s a lot of room to navigate. Most of these devices are aimed at finding ways for older people to continue living independently. It’s easy to see the role robots can — and will — play.

    In past years, we’ve highlighted Labrador’s assistive cart system. This year, we saw the return of the desktop ElliQ robot assistant. If I was looking for a way to get robots into the home right now, this is exactly the demographic I would be targeting. And not to be too crass about the topic, but Baby Boomers currently control 70% of the country’s disposable income. Not a bad place to start, if you ask me.

    Read more about CES 2024 on TechCrunch

    [ad_2]

    Brian Heater

    Source link

  • CES 2024: The weirdest tech, gadgets and AI claims from Las Vegas | TechCrunch

    CES 2024: The weirdest tech, gadgets and AI claims from Las Vegas | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    CES 2024 is in full swing in Las Vegas. We’re on the ground giving you the most talked about news and announcements from the event, but much of the fun is to be found in the weirder margins of the show floor. In an era of CES where companies are all-in on the AI hype machine, there are bound to be gadgets and claims that are a little odd, to say the least.

    Here are the 14 strangest gadgets, tech and claims from CES 2024 so far.

    AI-powered birding binoculars

    For the birder with an unlimited budget, Swarovski unveiled the ​​AX Visio 10×32: a $4,799 pair of AI-powered binoculars. The binoculars use AI to help you quickly identify more than 9,000 birds and other species, as well as provide the ability to take photos and videos of your discoveries to share.

    An app that lets you pay to pee

    Image Credits: Flush

    Need to go and willing to pay? Web-based app Flush allows businesses to rent out their bathrooms to people for additional revenue. The oddest thing about this app, outside of its existence thanks to the lack of maintained and public restrooms in the U.S., is its rating system that businesses use to approve or deny a reservation.

    A BlackBerry-style keyboard for your iPhone

    Do you miss the days of having a tactile keyboard on your iPhone? Revealed at CES 2024, Clicks Technology’s creator keyboard turns your phone into a BlackBerry-era relic for $139. The keyboard acts as a phone case attachment and gives you access to more of your iPhone’s screen without the digital keyboard. It’s sure to make your phone a lot longer, but maybe that’s the price you pay for nostalgia.

    Dynamic sound mixing based on your driving

    The dashboard view of Sound Drive's dynamic sound mixing system

    Image Credits: Tim Stevens

    Sound Drive, a startup from singer-songwriter turned entrepreneur Will.i.am, aims to match the music you’re listening to with the cadence and energy of your commute. The technology reacts to your speed and matches music to it, with lyrics coming in and dropping out intelligently whether you’re ripping down the freeway or stuck in traffic. While we were a little skeptical, we came away from the tech fairly impressed.

    A router that looks like a picture frame

    GL.iNet's router that also functions as a picture frame on display at a desk

    Image Credits: GL.iNet

    Matching your tech to your home’s aesthetic has been trendy in the last few years. Is your TV too boring? Make it look like a gallery painting with the Samsung Frame or have it blend seamlessly into your home with LG’s newly revealed transparent television. 

    And the latest tech item to get the yaasification treatment is the humble router. The Marble Wi-Fi 6 OpenWrt Router from GL.iNet looks like a small framed piece of art that you can hang on your wall or prop on your desk.

    An AI assistant that calls 911 for you

    At LG’s press event, the company announced its Smart Home AI Agent. The “two-legged” wheeled robot acts as an assistant in sync with your LG appliances. Generative AI allows you to chat with the AI Agent, and the company claims it can show you empathy. In the company’s surreal, Pixar-esque promotional video, the bot can remind you to take your medicine or call 911 in a time of crisis.

    A bidet you can talk to

    Kohler's PureWash E930 Bidet Seat that features voice commands

    Image Credits: Kohler

    Hey, Alexa? Turn on the bidet spray. Kohler introduced the PureWash E930 Bidet Seat with voice command support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. With voice assistance, you can control the seat hands-free, turn on the bidet’s spray and dryer functions, as well as its self-cleaning UV feature. Just don’t let anyone watch you talking to your toilet.

    A voice absorbing mask that looks like a muzzle

    Goodbye, nosy eavesdroppers. Skyted’s “Mobility Privacy Mask” and “Hybrid Silent Mask” are designed to “absorb voice frequencies” in noisy environments like planes, trains and rideshares, so you can communicate with a little more privacy, according to founder Stéphane Hersen. The company aims to implement their Bane-like masks in offices, call centers and even in gaming environments.

    An AI-powered stroller that rocks your baby for you

    GlüxKind's AI-powered stroller

    Image credits: GlüxKind

    Parenting is hard. GlüxKind is hoping that’s enough to convince you to put your child in the hands — er, wheels — of its AI-powered stroller, Ella. The stroller touts the ability to push itself hands-free, stop automatically on inclines, and softly rock your child without you needing to lift a finger. The stroller also includes a built-in white noise machine feature.

    An uncanny valley you can brainstorm with

    One of the most notable “Who asked for this?” products unveiled at CES is the GPT edition of WeHead. The AI-powered head brings a face and a physicality to ChatGPT, rather than a purely virtual AI experience. The mannequin-like setup with multiple screens aims to act as a confidant to bounce around ideas with, though we’re more fixated on just how bizarre it looks and feels to interact with than anything.

    A pocket AI assistant that scrolls through your phone for you

    Want to order a pizza? Instead of pulling out your phone, unlocking it, finding a delivery app, opening it, and working your way through the UI to complete your order (so laborious!), why not just ask rabbit’s r1 to do it for you? Rather than voice-only AI assistants like Siri and Alexa, the Teenage Engineering-designed device works on a “language action model,” which allows it to hypothetically perform the requested task.

    Smart molluscs that can look out for water pollution

    From phones to TVs and even toilets, everything has to be “smart” nowadays. What about molluscs? Inspired. MolluSCAN CEO and co-founder Ludovic Quinault found that a simple, non-invasive sensor attached to a clam or oyster’s shell can monitor everything from feeding to reproduction and stress responses, which can be excellent predictors of water quality and potential pollution.

    A TV that folds into a statue

    Do you love your TV but wish it could fold up into a piece of art? Boy, we’ve got good news for you. C SEED’s N1 folding TV is made up of five MicroLED panels, allowing it to go from a whopping 137-inch screen to a brutalist-looking sculpture in your living room in about 90 seconds. With its so-called Adaptive Gap Calibration, there are no visible hinges between the screens, revealing a seamless viewing experience when completely unfurled. Also, it starts at $200,000.

    A CPR dummy that breathes and pees

    How realistic is too realistic? ADAM-X from Medical-X is a patient simulator designed for a range of medical training exercises: injecting an IV, using a defibrillator, CPR and more. The company boasts realistic replications of a human’s skeleton anatomical structure, and will give you reactive feedback based on the patient’s needs and how accurate you are. According to Engadget, the company plans to incorporate a GPT-like feature in the future to help train medics more directly. ADAM-X also contains simulated fluids like blood and urine for accurate training practice. Go, science.

    A smart mirror that claims it can sense if you’re depressed

    Magic mirror on the wall, why am I so stressed? Baracoda calls BMind the world’s first AI-powered smart mirror for mental wellness. The mirror uses AI and natural language processing to identify your mood based on your gestures, expressions and tone. In turn, the mirror can chat with you, generate guided meditation exercises and self-affirmations and implement light therapy sessions through the mirror’s edge.

    A CNC mill that looks straight out of the ‘90s

    Coast Runner CNC mill shown at CES 2024

    Coast Runner CNC mill, shown at CES 2024

    This isn’t that weird of a product, really, but its appearance is too eye-catching to leave out. It’s actually part of an admirable mission from Coast Runner to make computer numerical control (CNC) machines more accessible to professionals and hobbyists. For those less familiar with the space, a CNC machine is what allows for the standardization and automation of an otherwise manual process, like cutting through components on an assembly line or 3D printing. 

    But just look at that graphic referencing the 1992 disposable cup design “Jazz” (which has since had a life of its own online.) In an event that featured so, so, so many harrowing or confusing aesthetics, a little nostalgia is cool and refreshing.

    [ad_2]

    Cody Corrall

    Source link

  • CES 2024: Variety’s ‘Strictly Business’ Podcast Gazes into the Future with Top Executives, Innovators and TikTok Creator Leenda Dong 

    CES 2024: Variety’s ‘Strictly Business’ Podcast Gazes into the Future with Top Executives, Innovators and TikTok Creator Leenda Dong 

    [ad_1]

    Attending the Consumer Electronics Show is an eye-opening experience that offers intriguing glimpses into the future and an overwhelming amount of information about how the media, entertainment and tech industries are evolving in the present day.

    For the past decade, Variety has partnered with the Consumer Technology Association to help Hollywood players navigate a fast-changing marketplace with an entertainment business-focused track of programming at the big show.

    On this special edition of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” our editorial team goes deep on the trends, innovations and industry rumors that swirled around Sin City as the tech, media and business worlds converged on Las Vegas this week. The daylong Variety Entertaiment Summit on Jan. 10 served up a powerhouse slate of executives, entrepreneurs, movers and shakers and even a TikTok star in comedian Leenda Dong.

    As ever, Team Variety‘s mission is to track trends and new developments in content production and monetization, streaming distributon, brand-building and the seemingly never-ending cycle of speculation about mergers and acquisitions in media. The episode features a post-summit group chat between “Strictly Business” hosts Cynthia Littleton, co-editor in chief of Variety, and Andrew Wallenstein, president and chief media analyst of Variety Intelligence Platform (VIP), along with Todd Spangler, Variety‘s longtime digital editor, and Audrey Schomer, VIP’s media analyst and research editor.

    Among the highlights of the summit was a panel on the future of content monetization with advertising sales chiefs for Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal. After three rough quarters in 2023 for domestic TV advertising, my first question for the ad chiefs was: Where’s the money? That clip and other panel highlights from the summit are woven into this episode.

    Dong, who boasts nearly 18 million followers on TikTok alone, charmed the CES crowd during her one-on-one with Spangler. How do social media creators make money? In a word: sponsors, sponsors, sponsors. To wit, even Dong’s link in her bio includes a plug for Domino’s Pizza. Dong noted she has had a strong management team for years that helps her turn videos into cash.

    “With any business or brands, [potential sponsors] come to them and they facilitate the whole branding and whatnot” while she focuses on the business of being funny, Dong explains.

    “Strictly Business” is Variety’s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. (Please click here to subscribe to our free newsletter.) New episodes debut every Wednesday and can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Play, SoundCloud and more.

    (Pictured: TikTok creator Leenda Dong at the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES 2024 in Las Vegas)

    [ad_2]

    Cynthia Littleton

    Source link

  • Walmart debuts generative AI search and AI replenishment features at CES | TechCrunch

    Walmart debuts generative AI search and AI replenishment features at CES | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    In a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon is offering a glimpse as to how the retail giant was putting new technologies, including augmented reality (AR), drones, generative AI, and other artificial intelligence tech to work in order improve the shopping experience for customers.

    At the trade show, the company revealed a handful of new products, including two AI-powered tools for managing product search and replenishment, as well as a new beta AR social commerce platform called “Shop with Friends.” It also highlighted how it was using AI in other areas of its business, including within Sam’s Club and in apps used by store associates.

    Most notably, Walmart is launching a new generative AI search feature on iOS that will allow customers to search for products by use cases, instead of by product or brand names. For example, you could ask Walmart to return search results for things needed for a “football watch party,” instead of specifically typing in searches for chips, wings, drinks, or a 90-inch TV. These enhanced search results will span categories, rivaling Google’s SGE (Search Generative Experience), which can recommend products and show various factors to consider, along with reviews, prices, images, and more.

    Image Credits: Walmart

    Ahead of CES, the company had demonstrated an AI shopping assistant that would let customers interact with a chatbot as they shopped, to ask questions and receive personalized product suggestions, as well. At the time, Walmart teased that a generative AI-powered search feature was also in the works. It suggested customers could ask for things like a “unicorn-themed birthday party” and get results like unicorn-themed napkins, balloons, streamers, and more. Now the feature is rolling out on mobile devices, iOS first.

    Another potentially promising use of AI involves the replenishment of frequently ordered items.

    Walmart will initially test this use case with Walmart InHome Replenishment, which will use AI and its existing replenishment expertise combined to create online shopping carts for customers with items they regularly order. Because it’s only available through the InHome program, these items are then delivered to a customer’s fridge in their kitchen or garage using the smart lock-powered InHome delivery service.

    Image Credits: Walmart

    However, if the feature works well, it’s not hard to imagine how it could be put to use to offer replenishment of other household items as well, similar to Amazon’s Subscribe-and-Save.

    Surprisingly, Amazon has not yet leveraged AI to do the same (i.e. to augment or replace Dash Replenishment). However, the online retailer has been putting AI to work in other ways, including by helping connect customers with the right product by summarizing product reviews, highlighting key attributes, or helping them find clothes that fit. 

    Another new Walmart product making a debut at CES is “Shop with Friends,” an AR shopping tool that lets customers share virtual outfits they create with their friends and then get feedback on their finds.

    Image Credits: Walmart

    CEO Doug McMillon referred to the suite of new products as something he called “adaptive retail” — that is, retail experiences that are personalized and flexible.

    “While omnichannel retail has been around for decades, this new type of retail – adaptive retail – takes it a step further, said Suresh Kumar, global chief technology officer, and chief development officer, Walmart Inc., in a statement shared ahead of the CES keynote. “It’s retail that is not only e-commerce or in-store, but a single, unified retail experience that seamlessly blends the best aspects of all channels. And for Walmart, adaptive retail is rooted in a clear focus on people,” he said. 

    The company touched on other ways it’s employing AI, as well. Walmart’s Sam’s Club will introduce an AI and computer vision-powered technology that helps solve the problem of waiting in line for receipt verification when exiting the store. The pilot, currently running in 10 locations, will confirm members have paid for their items without requiring a store associate to check their charts. Instead, computer vision tech will capture images of customers’ carts and AI will speed the process of matching cart items to sales. Walmart expects to bring the tech to its nearly 600 clubs by year-end.

    In another area, Walmart’s generative AI tool for store associates, My Assistant, will be expanded to 11 countries outside the U.S. in 2024, where it will work in employees’ native languages. Already, the tool has become available in Canada, Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua and is on track for launches in India and South Africa. My Assistant helps employees with writing, summarizing large documents, and offering “thought starters” to spark creativity, Walmart says.

    Image Credits: Walmart

    On the matter of AI, McMillon stressed that the company wouldn’t prioritize the technology without considering the potential implications. Instead, Walmart’s “underlying principle is that we should use technology to serve people and not the other way around,” he said.

    Still, he admitted that AI will mean some jobs will be eliminated.

    ” No doubt some tasks will go away and some roles will change. And some of them should, like the ones that involve lifting heavy weights or doing repetitive tasks,” the exec explained. “As that’s happening, we’re designing new roles that our associates tell us are more enjoyable and satisfying, and also often result in higher pay. So we’re investing to help our associates transition to this shared future,” McMillon added.

    Outside of AI, Walmart is looking to other new technology for faster deliveries. The company announced it’s expanding its drone delivery service in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro to 1.8 million households, or 75% of the metroplex area. The deliveries, which take place in 30 minutes or less, are powered by Wing and Zipline. Walmart also notes that 75% of the 120,000 items in a Walmart Supercenter meet the size and weight requirements for drone delivery. To date, Walmart has done over 20,000 drone deliveries in its two-year trial.

    This story is developing…

    Read more about CES 2024 on TechCrunch

    [ad_2]

    Sarah Perez

    Source link

  • Epomaker Launches a Cutting-Edge Designed Product – DynaTab 75X – at the Beginning of 2024

    Epomaker Launches a Cutting-Edge Designed Product – DynaTab 75X – at the Beginning of 2024

    [ad_1]

    Press Release
    •

    Jan 9, 2024

    Epomaker is thrilled to announce the release of its latest masterpiece, the DynaTab 75X for Ultimate Productivity and Gaming.


    NEW YORK, January 9, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Combining sleek design with top-notch functionality, the Epomaker DynaTab 75X compact mechanical keyboard is set to redefine the user experience for professionals and gamers alike.

    Compact 75% Desk-saving Layout
    The Epomaker DynaTab 75X boasts an array of features that cater to the diverse needs of keyboard enthusiasts. The compact 75% layout strikes a perfect balance between space efficiency and functionality, offering a seamless typing experience without compromising on key functionality. The keyboard is equipped with customizable RGB backlighting, allowing users to personalize their setup and create an immersive gaming or work environment.

    Gasket Structure with a dot matrix screen constructed by 540 RGB color dot matrix LEDs   
    One of the standout features of the DynaTab 75X is that it is a groundbreaking mechanical keyboard that ingeniously incorporates a gasket structure with 540 RGB color dot matrix LEDs. Its dot-matrix screen can simultaneously display every key when typing on the keyboard. Compared to traditional tray, top, or bottom mounts, the gasket-mount structure has long been known as the most popular structure in mechanical keyboards for its bouncy typing feeling. The DynaTab 75X is equipped with its hot-swappable key switches, providing users the flexibility to customize their typing experience without the need for soldering. The button beside the dot-matrix screen is functioned as an RGB controller, unlike other mechanical keyboards that require several shortcuts to toggle the RGB.

    Multi-device Synchronization & Ultimate Sound Profile  
    Navigating through tasks is made more convenient with the inclusion of dedicated arrow keys and a compact layout, making the DynaTab 75X a versatile choice for professionals who require efficient workflows. The keyboard is compatible with different operating systems, ensuring a seamless experience across various platforms. For mechanical keyboards, the sound profile plays a pivotal role. Epomaker ensures the DynaTab 75x excels in this aspect by equipping it with PORON Foam and an IXPE switch sheet to absorb the hollow sound and minimize the key stress to ensure the switch’s durability. Moreover, the gasket structure with PC positioning plate and Silicon plugs ensures a soft and rebound typing feeling. The keyboard incorporates a slow-rebound sound-absorbing foam as the bottom foam to further enhance stability and the sound profile.

    Epomaker takes pride in delivering high-quality, durable products, and the DynaTab 75X is no exception. Crafted with precision and attention to detail, this mechanical keyboard is built to withstand rigorous daily use, whether in a professional office setting or an intense gaming session. The DynaTab 75X will debut at CES Media Day and the CES official Exhibition in the following days. Also, the DynaTab 75X will be kicked off at Kickstarter. Make sure to follow Epomaker’s website and stay tuned.

    For more information, please visit:
    Epomaker DynaTab 75X
    Epomaker Attending International CES Exhibition 
    Kickstarter Follow Our Campaign

    Contact us 
    agnes@epomaker.com 

    Source: Epomaker Inc.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • BMW joins Mercedes, Tesla to make in-car gaming a reality

    BMW joins Mercedes, Tesla to make in-car gaming a reality

    [ad_1]

    The BMW Group, including BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, jumped into the in-car gaming world at CES, a consumer electronics trade show, today in Las Vegas. The ninth generation of BMW’s operating system utilizes third-party apps and games in the BMW ConnectedDrive Store to deliver the experience to customers.

    In addition to games the app store will offer tools for communication, productivity, news and other infotainment. BMW joins Mercedes-Benz, Tesla and others now with ways to play in the vehicle.

    “BMW is synonymous with both the ultimate driving machine and the ultimate digital experience,” said Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management responsible for BMW Group Development, in a press release.

    “At the CES we are showing more content, more customization and more gaming. This is all underpinned by our in-house developed BMW Operating System. And we will take a look to the future with augmented reality and reliable artificial intelligence at the interaction between human and machine.”

    BWM is adding in-car gaming to its ninth-generation operating system.
    BMW North America

    At the electronics show BMW showed a game called Beach Buggy Racing 2, a throwback racing video game meant to feel like the home console titles of the ’80s and ’90s. Two passengers can compete against each other in the same vehicle with a split-screen setup, which the model is parked.

    With connected vehicle technology becoming more advanced and popular, it wouldn’t be difficult to allow over-the-air play with other BMW drivers, experts believe.

    BMW said that players will be able to connect their own favorite controllers to the vehicle via Bluetooth, a feature that is coming via an over-the-air update later this year.

    All of this technology is in addition to the AirConsole App, which already lets BMW customers play single and multiplayer games in their car. Those are more casual games, like ones a player would play on their smartphone, which can also be used as a controller. The AirConsole list of games is also being constantly added to.

    Games will be available via the BMW Digital Premium, and is only available for models with BMW Operating System 9. It can be found in the ConnectedDrive Store either online, in the MyBMW App or directly from the car.

    BMW covers the necessary data usage from the package.

    BMW in-car gaming
    BWM will allow passengers to pair their favorite wireless controllers via Bluetooth.
    BMW North America

    There was a lot of news about in-car gaming a few years ago, first when Tesla boss Elon Musk said that its Model S sedan could run the modern and graphically difficult video game The Witcher 3 and more recently when it added Steam compatibility.

    Steam is a video game store and distribution platform and now Teslas with 16 gigabytes of RAM can download and play from a library of thousands of current-generation games.

    Mercedes made news offering the casual Angry Birds smartphone game on its infotainment screen in 2023. Now at CES the luxury brand also announced a collaboration with retro games streaming service Antstream Arcade, which will integrate cloud gaming into the car.

    The system is showcased in its 2024 E-Class sedan, and in an advanced future version demonstrated at CES.

    Gaming formats are universal in their location within vehicles. Screens in front of the driver are not utilized. Instead, a centrally located infotainment screen and screens in front of the passenger